The Master Storyteller Hurls the Heroes in a Half Shell to The Rabbit Ronin’s Timeline in Upcoming IDW Comic Book Miniseries
SAN DIEGO, CA (December 15, 2022) – In 2023, brilliant storyteller Stan Sakai will once again weave together two of the most beloved concepts in history with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen. This five-issue comic book miniseries, published by IDW in partnership with Dogu Publishing and Paramount Consumer Products features colors by Hi-Fi and will launch in March 2023.
In 1984, the indie comics scene erupted with the creation of two enduring phenomena: Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Given the two series’ anthropomorphic heroes, reverence for Japanese culture, and mutual respect among their highly skilled creators, it was no wonder that the two properties would crossover in comics, multiple animated series, and toy lines over the next four decades.
“I am so pleased with the story and art for WhereWhen,” says Sakai. “There is a lot of emotion and, of course, lots of action. I actually wrote this story about five years ago and had been anxious to get to it. In the past, the Turtles have met just a few of Usagi’s friends. This time, everyone is thrown in—Gen, Tomoe, Jotaro, Yukichi, Kitsune, Chizu, and more! This one is epic!”
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pursue the evil cyborg genius Dr. WhereWhen through a time portal…and emerge in feudal Japan! There, they encounter Miyamoto Usagi, 20 years into the samurai’s future but decades after the arrival of Dr. WhereWhen—who has already carved himself a fiefdom using mechanized clockwork samurai robots, with the intention of conquering both the past and current timelines!
Each and every issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen will feature a glorious wraparound cover by Stan Sakai, plus alternate covers by TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman, Sarah Myer (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures), and David Petersen (Mouse Guard). Issue #1 will also include a blank cover variant, perfect for artists or even convention commissions.
“Usagi Yojimbo arrived in the world of comics the very same year as TMNT, and our lifelong personal and creative relationships with the characters and each other were built on mutual love and respect for the medium. Anytime Stan Sakai wants to bring them together for a tale, I’m one-hundred-percent front row center,” says Eastman.
“Stan Sakai, aside from being a genius storyteller, is a kind and gracious person. It’s always a pleasure to work with him. WhereWhen is a truly epic story, filled with excitement and all-out action, and we at IDW could not be prouder to publish it,” says editor Scott Dunbier.
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About IDW Publishing
IDW (NYSE AMERICAN: IDW) is a leading media company providing uniquely compelling stories and characters in various genres for global audiences across all entertainment platforms. The award-winning IDW Publishing and IDW Entertainment divisions holistically evaluate and acquire IP for franchise development across comics and graphic novels, television, theatrical, merchandise, and other entertainment platforms, in addition to bringing world-renowned storytelling to life with our creative partners.
About Paramount Consumer Products
Paramount Consumer Products oversees all licensing and merchandising for Paramount (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount Consumer Products’ portfolio includes a diverse slate of brands and content from BET, CBS (including CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution), Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and Showtime. With properties spanning animation, live-action, preschool, youth and adult, Paramount Consumer Products is committed to creating the highest quality product for some of the world’s most beloved, iconic franchises. Additionally, Paramount Consumer Products oversees the online direct-to-consumer business for CBS and Showtime programming merchandise, as well as standalone branded ecommerce websites for Star Trek, SpongeBob, South Park, and MTV.
About Dogu Publishing
Dogu Publishing is an imprint created by Stan and Julie Sakai with Daniel Fujii and Jeremiah Blank. It is an all Asian American owned and operated company that will expand and encompass the Usagi Universe, along with other IP's from creators both domestic and abroad.
Stan Sakai is the multi-Eisner Award-winning creator of Usagi Yojimbo, which has continuously been published since 1984 and has been featured in nearly 300 comics to date, from several publishers. Usagi Yojimbo and related properties have been translated into multiple languages. Usagi has been featured in three iterations of the TMNT cartoon, as well as a CGI animated series called Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles released on Netflix in 2022, in partnership with Gaumont, Dark Horse Entertainment, and Atomic Monster.
Stan Sakai and his wife Julie collaborated on Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis, an original graphic novel which won an Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers.
